Copolymerization with alpha, omega-dienes



United States Patent 3,351,621 COPOLYMERIZATION WITH a,w-DKENES Robert Bacskai, Berkeley, Calif., assignor to Chevron Research Company,'a' corporation of Delaware N Drawing. Filed Feb. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 343,108 3 Claims. (Cl. 260-882) This invention concerns a method of improving the 3,351,621 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 ly, the mol ratio of the aluminum compound to the titanium trichloride will be in the range of about 0.5 :1 to 5: 1. The catalyst concentration in moles of titanium per liter will generally be in the range of about 0.001 to 0.1. The pressure of propylene will also vary widely but'is conveniently in the range of about 25 to 500 psi The copolymerization is simply carried out by mixing together the desired diene, solvent, alkyl aluminum compound and titanium trichloride in a reaction vessel and then pressurizing the vessel with propylene. The reaction mixture may then be heated to the desired temperature retain its strength above the relatively low melting point 3 of isotactic polypropylene, i.e., 160 C.

It has now been found that isotactic polypropylene can be prepared having a lower brittle point and capable of retaining a significant portion of its room temperature strength above its melting point, by copolymerizing propylene with an o to-diene of at least 6 carbons using Ziegler-type" catalysts, thusincorporating a small percent of the s w-diene in the polypropylene. About 0.01

to 0.5 gram of the'diene is added initially per gram' of.

polymer obtained. Usually, the diene is incorporated with one or both of the olefinic linkages in the polymeric chain. 1

The a,w-dienes are those of from about 6 to 12 carbons, preferably of from about 8 to 10 carbons. They are not branched nearer than beta to the olefinic carbon and are preferably straight chain. Illustrative of the a,w-dienes are 1,5-hexadiene, 1,6-heptadiene, 1,7-octadiene, 1,8-nonadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 1,10,1-decadiene, 1,11-dodecadiene, 4-methyl-l,7-hexadiene etc.

In order to obtain the improved strength characteristics for polypropylene at least 0.1 mol percent of the diene should be introduced into the polymer. Depending upon the particular diene and the conditions of polymerization, as already indicated, varying amounts of diene will be added to the polymerization reactor to introduce the desired amount of diene in the polymer. Usually about 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the polymer will be the a,w-diene. Of this, about 20 to 80 weight percent of the incorporated a,w-diene will have a free double bond, while the remainder will either act as a cross-linking agent or be incorporated in a single chain.

The polypropylene u,w-(ll6n copolymers have melt fiow rates of at least 0.01 (N 230 C, 29,680 g.) and usually of at least 1.0. The brittle point is less than C. and usually in the range -5 to +10 C. Penetration, as measured with a penetrometer, will be less than 75% at 400 F., as compared to 95% for isotactic polypropylene.

The copolymerization follows the usual procedure for Ziegler-type polymerization of a-olefins, particularly propylene. The preferred catalyst is a combination of titanium trichloride and trialkyl aluminum or dialkyl aluminum halide. That is, R A1X where n is a cardinal number varying from 2 to 3. R will usually be an alkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbons, and preferably ethyl or methyl, i.e., an alkyl group of from 1 to 2 carbons. X will generally be chlorine or bromine, preferably chlorine, i.e., halogen of atomic number 17 to 35.

The solvent used for the system will generally be a hydrocarbon, preferably an aliphatic hydrocarbon, of from 6 to 10 carbons. More usually, heptane will be the solvent.

The amount of the catalyst used is well known in the art and does not require extensive exemplification. Usualwhich will usually be in the range of about room temperature to 100 C., preferably in the range of about 30 to C.

The. following examples are oifered by way of illus-. tration and not by way of limitation.

Example 1 Into a reaction vessel was introduced 100 ml. of dry heptane, 0.4 ml. of 50% diethyl aluminum chloride, 0.2 gram of TiCI AA, and 0.74 gram of 1,7-octadiene. The vessel was ressurized to 50 psi. propylene and maintained at that pressure for a period of 2 hours at about 70 C. At the end of the reaction, the propylene was removed, methanol added to remove the catalyst, and the polymer isolated, yielding 15.23 gramsof polymer. The polymer showed only 66% penetration at 400 F. when tested with a penetrometer, as compared to of polypropylene. I

From the polymer, 0.125 inch plugs were molded. These were placed in the penetrometer under a plunger weighing 393 grams. The temperature of the penetrometer oil bath was raised at a rate of 20 C. per 8 minutes. The degree of penetration of the plunger into the polymer was recorded as a function of the bath temperature.

Example 2 The copolymerization was carried out as described in Example 1, except that 1.47 grams of octadiene was added initially. A yield of 10.35 grams of polymer was obtained. The product showed only 40% penetration at 400 F Example 3 The copolymerization was carried out as described in Example 1, except that 3.68 grams of 1,7-octadiene were added initially. A yield of 7.42 grams of polymer was obtained. The product showed only 20% penetration at 400 F.

Example 4 Into a reaction vessel was introduced 500 ml. of heptane, 2 ml. of 50% diethyl aluminum chloride, 1 gram of TiCl AA, 5 ml. of 1,7-octadiene, and the vessel pressurized to 50 p.s.i. with propylene and heated to 70 C. The polymerization was continued for 2 hours at which time the propylene was vented and the heating removed. Methanol was added to kill the catalyst and the polymeric product further worked up with methanol to remove any residual metals. A polymeric product of 101.75 grams was obtained which was insoluble in hot decalin.

Example 5 lowing table summarizes the results and compares commerical propylene.

TABLE I Example 4 Example 5 Polypropylene Melt Flow Rate 5.0 3.0 3.1 (N2, 230 0.), g 29,080 29,080 2, 100 Tensile Strength (Undrawn) Tern erature, 70 F., Speed, 1 in. min:

lflodlllus, p.S.i 96, 000 125, 000 103, 000 Yield Point, p.s.i 3,370 3,270 3, 360 Extension to Brea percent 1, 400-]- 1, 400+ 1, 400+ Tensile Strength (Dra\vn) Draw Ratio (Temp, 150 C.) 6.4/1 5.1/1 8/1 Temperature, 70 F., Speed,

1in./rnin.:

Ultimate Break Strength, p.s.i 29,100 22, 800 31, 900 Extension at Break, percent 89 189 3G Brittle Point, C +6 +26. Impact Tensile, it.-lb./in. i. 125. 3 108 80 It is evident from the table that the copolymers have significantly improved impact resistance and brittle point compared to polypropylene itself. Moreover, the polymers are readily molded because they have sufficient fluidity at elevated temperatures while still retaining a significant portion of their strength when heated above the melting point of polypropylene.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, various modifications on this process can be made or followed, in the light of the foregoing disclosure and discussion, without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure or from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Product prepared by copolymerizing propylene and an u,w-diene of about 6 to 12 carbon atoms with a Zieglertype catalyst comprising titanium trichloride and an aluminum compound of the formula:

where n is a cardinal number varying from 2 to 3, R is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and X is halogen of atomic number 17 to 35, the mol ratio of the aluminum compound to titanium trichloride being in the range of about 0.5:1 to 5: 1, the amount of said a,w-diene being sufficient to give the product an a,w-diene content of about 0.1 to 10 weight percent, said product having a brittle point less than 15 C. and less than 75% penetration at 400 F.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the a,w-diene is 1,7-octadie'ne.

3. Product of claim 1 wherein the oc,w-di6n6 has 8 to 10 carbon atoms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,933,480 4/1960 Gresham et a1. 260-805 3,190,862 6/1965 Boghetich 260-882 FOREIGN PATENTS 632,633 11/1963 Belgium. 776,326 6/1957 Great Britain.

JOSEPH L. SCHOFER, Primary Examiner.

M. KURTZMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. PRODUCT PREPARED BY COPOLYMERIZING PROPYLENE AND AN A,W-DIENE OF ABOUT 6 TO 12 CARBON ATOMS WITH A ZIEGLERTYPE CATALYST COMPRISING TITANIUM TRICHLORIDE AND AN ALUMINUM COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA: 